Lockheed Martin to offer F-35 to India ?

[Guest]

Buy F-35 only if you like you have lost your marbles and love Hangar Queens

We are looking at 10 years in future and a plane which will be the back bone like Mig21 for a long time i.e 40 years in future, what are the alternate options.

F-35 as a base will see evolution like the F-16, and we might be able to enter the supply market of world's largest and most expensive fighter aircraft, The British, Israelis etc are already investing in this plane.

If we have not planned a single engine 5tgh gen, VLO plane, then this is the best option. I don't see the Russians coming up with any similar plane, since they are already struggling with PAK FA/Su-57 which should have been already inducted by now in their air force.

 

[AnantS]

We are looking at 10 years in future and a plane which will be the back bone like Mig21 for a long time i.e 40 years in future, what are the alternate options.

F-35 as a base will see evolution like the F-16, and we might be able to enter the supply market of world's largest and most expensive fighter aircraft, The British, Israelis etc are already investing in this plane.

If we have not planned a single engine 5tgh gen, VLO plane, then this is the best option. I don't see the Russians coming up with any similar plane, since they are already struggling with PAK FA/Su-57 which should have been already inducted by now in their air force.

Spend some money by partnering technologically advanced but cash strapped nation(in the sense that its too expesive for it to go alone on new 5th gen) to design 5.5. Accept pakfa for now in limited numbers. but spend some serious money on research & infra. Take example of China, how they did not shy of putting money in order to address their weaknesses. And they are slowly overcoming them Jet engines is surely one area. They are not world beaters.. realy far from it. But atleast they cant get blackmailed on arms

 

[Guest]

Spend some money by partnering technologically advanced but cash strapped nation(in the sense that its too expesive for it to go alone on new 5th gen) to design 5.5. Accept pakfa for now in limited numbers. but spend some serious money on research & infra. Take example of China, how they did not shy of putting money in order to address their weaknesses. And they are slowly overcoming them Jet engines is surely one area. They are not world beaters.. realy far from it. But atleast they cant get blackmailed on arms

I don't think we have that kind of money, until private sectors come up with our own Boeing and Lockheed Martin, I doubt even the money spent would be put to good use, DRDO labs are already over burdened, and they cannot do everything.

Chinese have been spending lots of money, because they have such money, Its not like we are shy of correcting our weakness, I think we simply don't have the resources even If money is made available. I would be happy If a parallel plan to develop a Single engine AMCA was in place, But I think ADA, HAL hands are full at the moment.

 

[nongaddarliberal]

If the air force is adamant about importing a single engine fighter, then it might as well be the F 35. No 4th gen fighter is worth taking away money from the Tejas project. With the money they will spend on importing f 16s or gripens, they can make the tejas a fantastic fighter.

 

[Tactical Frog]

https://www.defensenews.com/air/201...plan-to-put-an-f-35-production-line-in-india/

 

[kstriya]

I don't think we have that kind of money, until private sectors come up with our own Boeing and Lockheed Martin, I doubt even the money spent would be put to good use, DRDO labs are already over burdened, and they cannot do everything.

Chinese have been spending lots of money, because they have such money, Its not like we are shy of correcting our weakness, I think we simply don't have the resources even If money is made available. I would be happy If a parallel plan to develop a Single engine AMCA was in place, But I think ADA, HAL hands are full at the moment.

There was a discussion on LCA MK 3, I don’t know if that’s a fictional version but it’s where we need to see LCA saga progress. Currently LCA is a very capable 4.5 gen fighter logically it just needs to bridge the next 0.5 gen to be a true 5th gen fighter and that should be a stealth design and internal weapons bay and avionics, etc. All our research on AMCA can be used in LCA:biggrin2:

 

[nongaddarliberal]

There was a discussion on LCA MK 3, I don’t know if that’s a fictional version but it’s where we need to see LCA saga progress. Currently LCA is a very capable 4.5 gen fighter logically it just needs to bridge the next 0.5 gen to be a true 5th gen fighter and that should be a stealth design and internal weapons bay and avionics, etc. All our research on AMCA can be used in LCA:biggrin2:

They would need to massively upgrade the engine.

 

[Adioz]

There was a discussion on LCA MK 3, I don’t know if that’s a fictional version but it’s where we need to see LCA saga progress. Currently LCA is a very capable 4.5 gen fighter logically it just needs to bridge the next 0.5 gen to be a true 5th gen fighter and that should be a stealth design and internal weapons bay and avionics, etc. All our research on AMCA can be used in LCA:biggrin2:

You need to completely redesign the airframe to get a stealthy LCA. So basically, you are asking for a new aircraft. Theoretically, it is impossible to go from 4.5 to 5 in aircraft generation by just upgrading an airframe.

I don't see the need for a stealthy LCA. Stealth comes at the cost of increased maintenance costs and time. LCA is not supposed to be that.

Rather than continue down the path of developing a light 5th gen fighter, we should focus on AMCA. By 2030, we'll have 4.5th gen LCA, Rafale and Su-30MKI and 5th gen Su-57 MKI and AMCA.
Once AMCA is done, we should concentrate on making our own 4.5th generation heavy aircraft to begin replacing the Su-30 MKI after 2045.
We should also start making some technology demonstrators for a heavy 5.5th generation aircraft (post 2040). Such aircraft can act as a test-bed for future technologies. So the next time the Americans and Chinese advance to next generation planes, we'll not be left behind.

However the thrust of our aircraft industry in 2030 post AMCA success should be towards transport aircraft, with a goal to make a modular family of transport aircraft in the C-17, C-130J and An-32 classes.


^^^^^^^^^^But before all that, we need to see Tejas Mk1A and then Tejas Mk2 and AMCA succeed. The hill is steep, the climb has already begun.

 

[Prashant12]

Defence sales at an all time high with India: Top US commander


WASHINGTON: America's defence sale with India is at an all time high, a top Pentagoncommander today said, adding that it supports all Indian consideration of a number of US systems including F-35 joint strike fighter.

US Pacific CommandCommander Admiral Harry B Harris told the House Armed Services Committee during a Congressional hearing on Indo-Pacific region that US-India strategic partnership continues to advance at a historic pace and has the potential to be the most consequential bilateral relationship of the 21st century.

"Defence sales are at an all-time high with India operating US- sourced airframes, such as P-8s, C-130Js, C-17s, AH-64s, and CH-47s, and M777 howitzers," he said.

The US Pacific Command will sustain the momentum of the strategic relationship generated by the President-Prime Minister-level and the emerging 2+2 Ministerial Dialogue through strengthening the military-to-military relationship and working toward additional enabling agreements to enhance interoperability.

"At the moment, India is considering a number of US systems for purchase, all of which USPACOM fully supports: the F-16 for India"[TM]s large single-engine, multi-role fighter acquisition program; the F/A-18E for India"[TM]s multi-engine, carried-based fighter purchase; a reorder of 12-15 P-8Is; a potential purchase of SeaGuardian UAS; MH-60R multi-role sea-based helicopter; and F-35 Joint Strike," Harris said.

The US and India maintain a broad-based strategic partnership that is underpinned by shared democratic values, interests and strong people-to-people ties, and I expect 2018 to be a significant and eventful year in US-India relations, he said.

The US and India are natural partners on a range of political, economic, and security issues, he said.

"With a mutual desire for global stability and support for the rules-based international order, the US and India have an increasing convergence of interests, including maritime security and domain awareness, counter-piracy, counterterrorism, humanitarian assistance, and coordinated responses to natural disasters and transnational threats," he added.

"India will be among the US"[TM]s most significant partners in the years to come due to its growing influence and expanding military," Harris said.

"As a new generation of political leaders emerge, India has shown that it is more open to strengthening security ties with the US and adjusting its historic policy of non-alignment to address common strategic interests," he said.
Noting that the US seeks an enduring, regular, routine, and institutionalised strategic partnership with India, he said Pacific Command identifies a security relationship with India as a major command line-of-effort.
Over the past year, US and Indian militaries participated together in three major exercises, executed more than 50 other military exchanges, and operationalized the 2016 Logistics Exchange Memorandum of Agreement, he added. PTI LKJ 14022147 NNNN

https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com...dia-top-us-commander/articleshow/62921284.cms

 

[Prashant12]

Capability jump: IAF looks to buy fifth-generation F-35 fighter

It is learnt the IAF wants to procure 126 of the variant called F-35A - the air force version of the fighter that incorporates "conventional take-off and landing"

In what would be a huge capability jump, the Indian Air Force (IAF) is increasingly interested in procuring the American F-35 Lightning II for its depleting fighter fleet.Business Standard learns the IAF top brass is formally requesting for a classified briefing by the F-35’s prime builder, Lockheed Martin, on the capabilities of the sophisticated, fifth-generation fighter developed under the US Joint Strike Fighter programme.

The US government has not formally offered the F-35 to India. A classified briefing would require formal clearance from the US Department of Defence (the Pentagon) and the State Department. The grant of such a clearance would be an important first step towards permitting the sale of F-35s to India.

It is learnt the IAF wants to procure 126 of the variant called F-35A – the air force version of the fighter that incorporates “conventional take-off and landing”, or CTOL. Another variant, the F-35B, incorporating “short take-off and vertical landing”, or (STOVL), has been developed for the US Marine Corps. A third version, developed for the US Navy, incorporates “catapult assisted take-off but arrested recovery (CATOBAR).

The Indian Navy, which has never ruled out operating the F-35 off Indian aircraft carriers, has received a briefing on the F-35 as far back as 2010, Lockheed Martin official Orville Prins told this correspondent. However, at that stage, the F-35 was still grappling with serious development challenges.The F-35’s affordability is also attractive for New Delhi. In contrast to the bare-bones price of $115 million for each Rafale fighter (with India-specific enhancements, spares, logistics and weapons all extra), the F-35A cost customers $94.6 million last February. Lockheed Martin says it will reduce the cost to $80 million by 2020.

A fifth-generation fighter is characterised by a “stealth design”, making it far more difficult for radar to detect; “supercruise”, or the ability to fly at supersonic speeds without engaging engine afterburners; and highly networked avionics that detect and engage enemy aircraft using a range of sensors and weapons across the battle-space.

The only true fifth-generation fighters in service are the US Air Force’s F-22 Raptor and the F-35 Lightning II. China is developing two stealth fighters – the J-20 Chengdu and the J-31 Shenyang. Russia is developing its own fifth-generation fighter, the PAK-FA, and has offered India a partnership role in developing the PAK-FA into the eponymous Fifth Generation Fighter Aircraft (FGFA) for the IAF. Negotiations on roles and costing are over, but the Indian defence ministry is yet to accept.

The United Progressive Alliance (UPA) defence minister, AK Antony, had ruled out buying the F-35, stating that India would meet its short-term requirement of fifth-generation fighters with the FGFA.

For the IAF’s long term needs, the Defence R&D Organisation is developing the Advanced Medium Combat Aircraft (AMCA).

Sources close to the Pentagon say India would not be sold the F-35 as long as it is partnering Russia in the FGFA co-development project. That is because Washington would guard against the leakage of F-35 technology into the FGFA.Senior officers say the IAF is not enthused about the FGFA project.

They point out the F-35 is further advanced in development and has already entered service with the USAF and six-seven air forces of American allies.

For Lockheed Martin, an Indian request for the F-35 would create a dilemma. The US company would rather have the IAF buy the F-16 Block 70, which it has offered to build in India in partnership with Tata Advanced Systems Ltd (TASL).

For Lockheed Martin, that would keep alive the F-16 assembly line, which has long functioned from Fort Worth, Texas, and has now moved temporarily to Greenville, South Carolina, where it is building a $2.8 billion order from Bahrain for 19 F-16V fighters.

The Fort Worth facility has been made over to building the F-35, of which over 3,000 are already on order.

Meanwhile, the assembly line in India would build new F-16s for the IAF, as well as for orders that Lockheed Martin expects from southeast Asian and central European countries. It would also provide overhaul and upgrade facilities for the estimated 3,000 F-16 fighters in service worldwide, in some 25 air forces.

As this newspaper reported (December 16, “Lockheed Martin says F-16 orders flowing in”) Lockheed Martin calculates that an Indian line would benefit, in the medium term, from new fighter orders worth $16 billion, and $6.5 billion in upgrading old F-16s.

Simultaneously, American jobs would get a lease of life, as F-16 suppliers in the US would continue feeding into the integration line in India. At least 50 per cent of the F-16 by value would continue to be made in America.

For all these reasons, Lockheed Martin is painting the F-16 Block 70 sale to the IAF as a stepping stone to eventually obtaining the F-35.

While the US has supplied the F-35 only to close allies, Washington insiders say India’s recent designation as a Major Defence Partner (MDP), and a groundswell of goodwill towards New Delhi, make conditions propitious for an Indian request. An indicator is the recent permission granted for the sale to India of the Sea Guardian unmanned aerial vehicle – so far sold only to close allies.

In 2011, the influential US Senate Armed Services Committee requested the Pentagon to study the feasibility of an F-35 sale to India. Senators John Cornyn (co-chair of the Senate India Caucus) and Joseph Lieberman spearheaded the proposal.

But US officials in Washington also complain about fatigue at New Delhi’s tardiness in following up discussions with formal requests. The mood in the Pentagon, say these officials, is: “Let New Delhi ask for the F-35. Then we’ll take things forward.

”The defence ministry and the IAF have not responded to an emailed request for comments.

http://www.business-standard.com/ar...h-generation-f-35-fighter-118021401246_1.html

 

[asianobserve]

This is what I have noticed with the F-35, it's the professional military guys that are really pushing for it. In some countries the politicians are against it as they have their own political choices or at least promises to keep. You see that in Canada, Germany and now India.

 

[abingdonboy]

Capability jump: IAF looks to buy fifth-generation F-35 fighter

It is learnt the IAF wants to procure 126 of the variant called F-35A - the air force version of the fighter that incorporates "conventional take-off and landing"

In what would be a huge capability jump, the Indian Air Force (IAF) is increasingly interested in procuring the American F-35 Lightning II for its depleting fighter fleet.Business Standard learns the IAF top brass is formally requesting for a classified briefing by the F-35’s prime builder, Lockheed Martin, on the capabilities of the sophisticated, fifth-generation fighter developed under the US Joint Strike Fighter programme.

The US government has not formally offered the F-35 to India. A classified briefing would require formal clearance from the US Department of Defence (the Pentagon) and the State Department. The grant of such a clearance would be an important first step towards permitting the sale of F-35s to India.

It is learnt the IAF wants to procure 126 of the variant called F-35A – the air force version of the fighter that incorporates “conventional take-off and landing”, or CTOL. Another variant, the F-35B, incorporating “short take-off and vertical landing”, or (STOVL), has been developed for the US Marine Corps. A third version, developed for the US Navy, incorporates “catapult assisted take-off but arrested recovery (CATOBAR).

The Indian Navy, which has never ruled out operating the F-35 off Indian aircraft carriers, has received a briefing on the F-35 as far back as 2010, Lockheed Martin official Orville Prins told this correspondent. However, at that stage, the F-35 was still grappling with serious development challenges.The F-35’s affordability is also attractive for New Delhi. In contrast to the bare-bones price of $115 million for each Rafale fighter (with India-specific enhancements, spares, logistics and weapons all extra), the F-35A cost customers $94.6 million last February. Lockheed Martin says it will reduce the cost to $80 million by 2020.

A fifth-generation fighter is characterised by a “stealth design”, making it far more difficult for radar to detect; “supercruise”, or the ability to fly at supersonic speeds without engaging engine afterburners; and highly networked avionics that detect and engage enemy aircraft using a range of sensors and weapons across the battle-space.

The only true fifth-generation fighters in service are the US Air Force’s F-22 Raptor and the F-35 Lightning II. China is developing two stealth fighters – the J-20 Chengdu and the J-31 Shenyang. Russia is developing its own fifth-generation fighter, the PAK-FA, and has offered India a partnership role in developing the PAK-FA into the eponymous Fifth Generation Fighter Aircraft (FGFA) for the IAF. Negotiations on roles and costing are over, but the Indian defence ministry is yet to accept.

The United Progressive Alliance (UPA) defence minister, AK Antony, had ruled out buying the F-35, stating that India would meet its short-term requirement of fifth-generation fighters with the FGFA.

For the IAF’s long term needs, the Defence R&D Organisation is developing the Advanced Medium Combat Aircraft (AMCA).

Sources close to the Pentagon say India would not be sold the F-35 as long as it is partnering Russia in the FGFA co-development project. That is because Washington would guard against the leakage of F-35 technology into the FGFA.Senior officers say the IAF is not enthused about the FGFA project.

They point out the F-35 is further advanced in development and has already entered service with the USAF and six-seven air forces of American allies.

For Lockheed Martin, an Indian request for the F-35 would create a dilemma. The US company would rather have the IAF buy the F-16 Block 70, which it has offered to build in India in partnership with Tata Advanced Systems Ltd (TASL).

For Lockheed Martin, that would keep alive the F-16 assembly line, which has long functioned from Fort Worth, Texas, and has now moved temporarily to Greenville, South Carolina, where it is building a $2.8 billion order from Bahrain for 19 F-16V fighters.

The Fort Worth facility has been made over to building the F-35, of which over 3,000 are already on order.

Meanwhile, the assembly line in India would build new F-16s for the IAF, as well as for orders that Lockheed Martin expects from southeast Asian and central European countries. It would also provide overhaul and upgrade facilities for the estimated 3,000 F-16 fighters in service worldwide, in some 25 air forces.

As this newspaper reported (December 16, “Lockheed Martin says F-16 orders flowing in”) Lockheed Martin calculates that an Indian line would benefit, in the medium term, from new fighter orders worth $16 billion, and $6.5 billion in upgrading old F-16s.

Simultaneously, American jobs would get a lease of life, as F-16 suppliers in the US would continue feeding into the integration line in India. At least 50 per cent of the F-16 by value would continue to be made in America.

For all these reasons, Lockheed Martin is painting the F-16 Block 70 sale to the IAF as a stepping stone to eventually obtaining the F-35.

While the US has supplied the F-35 only to close allies, Washington insiders say India’s recent designation as a Major Defence Partner (MDP), and a groundswell of goodwill towards New Delhi, make conditions propitious for an Indian request. An indicator is the recent permission granted for the sale to India of the Sea Guardian unmanned aerial vehicle – so far sold only to close allies.

In 2011, the influential US Senate Armed Services Committee requested the Pentagon to study the feasibility of an F-35 sale to India. Senators John Cornyn (co-chair of the Senate India Caucus) and Joseph Lieberman spearheaded the proposal.

But US officials in Washington also complain about fatigue at New Delhi’s tardiness in following up discussions with formal requests. The mood in the Pentagon, say these officials, is: “Let New Delhi ask for the F-35. Then we’ll take things forward.

”The defence ministry and the IAF have not responded to an emailed request for comments.

http://www.business-standard.com/ar...h-generation-f-35-fighter-118021401246_1.html

Lol Ajai Shukla back on LM's gravy train, has spent the last decade pushing for the F-16 for India but just as LM's strategy has changed so has his views, now it's time for IAF to look at F35?


126 F-35s, what a joke! The absurd cost of these fighters all in (weapons, training,hangers, etc) being >$30b is the LEAST of the problems with this ridiculous narrative. The fact that India would have to fundamentally alter its entire strategic outlook AND the US and India would have to materially change the nature of their relationship which would take DECADES. Today the US won't even play ball with India on "low hanging fruit", expecting them to embrace India with open arms to get the F-35 sold without India having to entirely reform its entire strategic landscape is absurd- is there any sign this will happen? Any real expectation the babus on BOTH sides won't ensure this is a generational effort (if it was ever commenced)?


FGFA, AMCA and F35- why not add J-20 to the list?

F-35 is being used as a sweetner for F-16 offer to India and NOTHING else, LM saying to India it must get F-16 first but there will be no assurances F-35 will actually be cleared for sale to India let alone to be made in India (which would have to happen with such volumes), LM doesn't have that authority.

 

[asianobserve]

Lol Ajai Shukla back on LM's gravy train, has spent the last decade pushing for the F-16 for India but just as LM's strategy has changed so has his views, now it's time for IAF to look at F35?


126 F-35s, what a joke! The absurd cost of these fighters all in (weapons, training,hangers, etc) being >$30b is the LEAST of the problems with this ridiculous narrative. The fact that India would have to fundamentally alter its entire strategic outlook AND the US and India would have to materially change the nature of their relationship which would take DECADES. Today the US won't even play ball with India on "low hanging fruit", expecting them to embrace India with open arms to get the F-35 sold without India having to entirely reform its entire strategic landscape is absurd- is there any sign this will happen? Any real expectation the babus on BOTH sides won't ensure this is a generational effort (if it was ever commenced)?


FGFA, AMCA and F35- why not add J-20 to the list?

F-35 is being used as a sweetner for F-16 offer to India and NOTHING else, LM saying to India it must get F-16 first but there will be no assurances F-35 will actually be cleared for sale to India let alone to be made in India (which would have to happen with such volumes), LM doesn't have that authority.

Is the IAF not allowed to dream? :biggrin2:

 

[Adioz]

Is the IAF not allowed to dream? :biggrin2:

Nope. It has been day dreaming a lot lately, and has fallen behind its Northern rival. More day dreaming is likely to hurt National security.

 

[asianobserve]

Nope. It has been day dreaming a lot lately, and has fallen behind its Northern rival. More day dreaming is likely to hurt National security.

I agree that the F-35 does not really fit the need to replace Mig-21s. F-35 is a high end platform. But the IAF still needs 5th gen platform soon or else China will have a significant advantage. AMCA I'm afraid is still too distant to be relied upon to fulfill than need.

Perhaps if the Russians can get their act together they can supply PAKFA soon.

 

[Pandora]

This Ajay shukla is such a disgrace.To push his own agenda and lobby ,he keep pushing this kind of articles.

 

[darshan978]

idiot ajai shukla congress stooge

 

[Tactical Frog]

Hey ... why not jump directly to the next level and ask info about future US Navy F/A XX

 

[Immanuel]

nope-- you have to look from indian prespective. Uncertain india & us relations(the relationship will remain mixed bag for forseeable future) will certainly make any ameriki aircraft - a hangar queen

A ridiculous claim, facts are that US made aircraft currently in IAF and IN inventory enjoy some of the highest availability rates and continue to prove their reliability. C-17s, C-130s and P-8I are doing a stellar job and orders for P-8I will eventually double or even triple, more C-130s could also be ordered. With 22 apaches on order and an additional 39 could be ordered for IA and 15 Chinooks etc. There is hardly any indication that any of these will be hanger queens as far as the services are concerned.

Please stop posting non sense based on baseless theories. Any relationship can be a mixed bag including the one we share with Russia, Israel or France.

With India and US being democracies, the relationship will gradually stabilize to a point where we can agree to agree on some things and agree to disagree on others while maintaining friendly strategic relations.

 

[Immanuel]

Israel Is Hiding That Its State-of-art F-35 Warplane Was Hit By Syrian S-200 Missile – Reports
Published October 17, 2017 SOURCE: SOUTH FRONT

It looks that the Israeli “demonstration of power” during the recent visit of Russian Defense Minister Sergey Shoigu has turned into a total failure. On October 16, Shoigu arrived Israel for meetings with Israeli Defense Minister Avigdor Lieberman and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. The sides were reportedly set to discuss the situation in the region, including Syria, the fight against terrorism as well as military and technical cooperation. At the same day, the Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) claimed that its warplanes targeted a anti-aircraft battery of the Syrian Air Defense Forces that had launched a missile at Israeli aircraft flying over Lebanon. “The army targeted the battery with four bombs and, according to the IDF, the battery was damaged to the extent it was no longer operational. The army said the battery targeted was the same that fired at Israeli jets last March, prompting Israel make use of its Arrow anti-missile system for the first time,” the Israeli newspaper Haaretz reported on the issue. The Syrian military confirmed the Israeli strikes and said that they caused “material damage.” It’s interesting to note that, according to the Syrian Defense Ministry statement, Israeli warplanesviolated Syria’s airspace on the border with Lebanon in Baalbek area. The incident took place at 8:51 am local time. Could the Israeli Air Force intentionally provoke the reaction from the Syrian military in order to justify the strike on the Syrian air defense battery? Furthermore, some pro-Israeli experts and media activists clearly linked the incident with the visit of the Russian defense minister to Tel Aviv saying that it was a nice demonstration of power to the Russian-Iranian-Syrian alliance. However, somesing went wrong. According to the availableinformation, the Syrian Defense Forces used a S-200 missile against the Israeli warplane. This Soviet-made missile is the most advanced long range anti-aircraft system opearated by the Syrian military. Even in this case, it’s old-fashioned in terms of the modern warfare. Despite this, the Syrian Defense Ministry said in its statement that government forces responded to the violation of the airspace and “directly hit one of the jets, forcing [Israeli aircraft] to retreat.” This statement contradicts to the Israeli claim that “no hit” was confirmed. Few hours after the missile incident with Syria, the Israeli media reported that the Israeli Air Force’s F-35 stealth multirole fighter went unserviceable as a result of an alleged bird collision during a training flight. The incident allegedly took place “two weeks ago” but was publicly reported only on October 16. However, Israeli sources were not able to show a photo of the F-35 warplane after the “bird collision”. Furthermore, it is not clear if the F-35 can become operational again because its stealth coating was damaged. Thus, according to the Israeli version, the warplane reportedly became no longer operation after a bird collision despite the fact that the F-35 earlier passed the bird strike sertification with great results (official info here). The F-35 is the the world’s most expensive warplane. The price of developing the F-35 is now about $406.5 billion. Israel is actively buying the world’s self-proclaimed most advanced fighter paying about $100 million for each plane.

http://idrw.org/israel-is-hiding-th...-by-syrian-s-200-missile-reports/#more-151082 .

Reposting from F-35 thread

Now why would a professional force with perhaps among the best SOPs and refined tactics like the Israeli AF deploy the F-35 when it only achieved IOC in December. IOC in a professional AF is long checklist which only certifies the aircraft can be used safely in the country with some limited capability. Sure it can be used to shoot down incoming intruders, drop a few bombs etc but to deploy it into harms way when the tactics aren't fully refined yet is something that a force like IAF won't do, It is not a banana republic AF like PLAAF or PAF which rushes to declare a bird operational.
http://www.sldinfo.com/the-israeli-...writing-the-next-chapter-in-airpower-history/

So all articles claiming that a F-35 was shot down or shot at is simply fake news